It ends with us | (Slow updates)

13. Forgive me?

I wish I knew what was going through Baylor's mind when she decided to leave. Did she think about me like I thought about her every single day? Was it hard for her without me?

"Bay, can we talk? Please." I beg. She stops walking and turns around in the hallway to look at me.

"Will you carry her to her room for me? Please."Her voice is dripping with so much anguish it hurts my chest. After all these years and after everything she's done, I still can't stand to see her in pain.

I stand up with Mia in my arms and follow Bay as she leads the way down the hallway and past the kitchen.

"Leah watches her when I'm working, she's stayed here so much they gave her a room." She says as she takes a left and then opens a door at the end of the hall. Inside sits a twin size bed with a purple comforter and a chair a few feet away. A white dresser and matching nightstand occupy the room with a purple chest in the corner that I assume holds all her toys. I carry her to the bed and watch her innocent sleeping face as I lay her down. Her brows scrunch together causing the cutest wrinkles to faintly form on her flawless face. I pull the blankets back to pull them over her.

"She doesn't sleep with a blanket. . ." I look up at Bay as I stop tugging the blankets over Mia. A smile pulls on my lips as I turn my attention back to my daughter. "She gets hot when she sleeps." Bay adds and I chuckle looking down at my shirt, Mia left a perfect sweat spot from her cheek laying on my chest.

"So that's why my shirt is soaked." I chuckle and brush Mias mocha brown curls out of her face. A few moments pass in silence before I tear my eyes from my daughter to look at Baylor. Her eyes are blood shot with tears brimming the edges as she stares at me.

"What's wrong?" I ask and a tear slips down her cheek. She looks at Mia and then looks at me.

"I've wanted this moment so badly for so long, and now you're here and I can't let myself pretend that it's okay. I can't let you think that it's okay and that everything is fine because it's not, Asher. It's not."She explains quietly as the tears start and I stand up.

"What are you talking about?"

"You need to leave, Asher." My heart can't take this shit. It's going to finally give out on me.

"Baylor, I'm not leaving my daughter. You've stolen enough time away from us." I can tell my words affected her by the sharp intake of air and the painful expression on her face. A tear slips down her cheek as she takes a step towards me but I turn towards Mia.

"Asher, I'm sorry. I didn't want any of this to happen."

"Any of what to happen, Baylor!? You running with our child or me finding out?"I whisper shout to her as I look at her again. My blood is boiling.

"Do you think this has been easy? Did you think moving a thousand miles away from home at eighteen and pregnant was easy?! Leaving you, did you think that was easy? Because it wasn't! It was the hardest and most painful decision I have ever had to make and I have had to live with that pain and guilt everyday for five years as I look into our little girls face and see your eyes staring back at me! Don't sit here and drown me with more when I'm barely staying afloat from my own." She seethes but I can feel the tears she's holding back. I can hear the claws scratching her throat as she speaks, see her lip tremble as she presses them into a straight line.

"Then why did you leave me, Baylor?" She freezes. Her lips stay pressed in a tight line as I walk up to her. "Just...why."

"I loved you so much." She begins in a shaky voice as she holds back tears, my chest aches at the past tense. "I dialed your number everyday for two years wanting to call you. Sometimes I did, I wouldn't say anything; Just listen to the sound of your breath over the phone, your voice. It took everything I had and more not to tell you exactly where Mia and I were. The only reason I didn't was out of fear. . .after I got out of the hospital I visited your father in prison." My heart stops...why the hell would she visit him?!

"Before you say anything just listen. I had to know what happened. Why he wanted to kill us. He was paid and he was trying to protect you, or at least that's what he said. Gary had suspicion that I knew what happened the night of the accident. He didn't want to go to jail so he wanted to ensure I wouldn't be able to tell anyone. The last night I was with you, he cornered me. I went for a walk and he followed me. He told me he would kill you if I didn't leave. So I did. I was going to send you a plane ticket but hearing her heartbeat on the ultrasound, seeing her small body form, I was too scared. I won't let anything happen to her."

I stand here processing her words unable to form a reply. Gary was threatening to kill me? That's why she ran... to save me?

"Asher say something, please." I look at her. She stands a few feet away, her eyes begging me to forgive her. My emotions mix together in confusion. I want to be angry for missing so much of their life. At the same time Bay left to protect me in the first place. I don't know how to feel anymore. My trust in people has been gone for so long I don't know if she could ever repair it. Could I get past her leaving me and taking away five years of my child's life? If I am able to forgive her would she even be with me? How does this end?

I want my child, and children need their mothers. I will get over it if it means I can be with my child.

"I forgive you. . .It's been five years and he hasn't bothered you, Bay. You're safe. He probably doesn't even know where you live. I sure as hell didn't. I want to be a part of Mia's life, your life." I say as I look away from Mia and look at her. Her brows furrow in confusion as she takes a step towards me.

"You forgive me?" She asks as tears well up in her eyes. I take a step towards her and wrap her in my arms.

"I could never stay mad at you."

-

A/N; Hey guys sorry for the slow updates! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!